First Christmas Ver 2
by Rose Vicious
Summary: (The Second Version of First Christmas, due to change in writing style.) Sephiroth's little sister, Jenova II, is having her very first christmas. To keep her from having a tragic past like his, he tries to make her childhood as happy as possible. Though
1. Christmas Eve

_Disclaimer: This is a Final Fantasy VII fan fiction. I do not own Final Fantasy VII. Jenova II and her plot are of my own._

The rain poured down the outer windows and walls of the Shinra Corporation. Everyone was at ease on Christmas Eve, yet no one stopped to enjoy the season. Sephiroth sat alone in a room of the Corporation building, leaning against the wall as he watched the rain flow against the window side. Of course he wore something very different from many of the members of SOLDIER: a long black jacket, having his bare chest seen behind two thick belts. There were armored plates on his shoulder in two layers, and long black pants, standing over 6 feet in height, though his size was added by the large black combat boots. His face was expressionless, as always, as his sea green eyes watched the water drip slowly down from behind the long silver bangs in front of his face.

It has been a long time since the company was graced with his presence. Time to time he would show up on rare occasions, but lately he has been visiting quiet often, and leave just as suddenly as he came. The battlefield began to bore him, finding no one capable of calling his "equal." It was distressing and irritating to use his favorite blade against those who were weak, like everyone inside of the building he waited in. The rain continued to fall, and his eyes never left the window, even as the door on the other side of the room opened, two figures walking into the dim lighted room.

"Is it dark enough in here Sephiroth?" A mans voice called out, flicking on the light to reveal Sephiroth in the corner. The warrior's eyes moved away from the window as the lights were turned on, looking to the tall man in the doorway. This man was dressed in a full black suit, his raven like hair draped over his shoulders slightly, and both brown eyes looking directly to Sephiroth.

It was Tseng of course, but the silver haired man could care less, for it wasn't the man he was waiting for inside the room, but for the other that was escorted by him. Sephiroth's eyes slowly descend upon the small girl holding Tseng's hand, a smile upon her shining face. The little one was about 3 1/2 feet tall, almost looking to be around 7 years of age. Her silver hair shined in the light, as her bangs were bent upward and then back down, the same style as Sephiroth's, but messier. Her sea green eyes stared eagerly to the man as her smile brightened, letting go of Tseng's hand and running to Sephiroth.

"Brother Sephy!!!!" The girl screamed out during her quick dash, her long, plain blue dress flowing in the breeze. Sephiroth bent down on one knee as the young girl ran towards him, opening his arms wide for her. She screamed out the nickname for him over and over and over again until finally flying into his arms, Sephiroth embracing her tightly. "Sephy... I'm glad you came and visited me!" The little girl rubbed her face on his chest, brushing the cheeks against his bare skin, as well as the leather belts across his chest in an X formation. She looked up to him as she tried to hold his waist with her small arms, her smile bright and innocent. A smile dawned upon Sephiroth's face as he held the little girl in his strong arms.

"Of course I would visit you Jen..." Sephiroth told her in a soft, yet a low tone, "It's Christmas Eve and I have no orders from SOLDIER so I thought I would take this day off to spend it with you..."

Jen's smile grew wider as she burst from his arms, standing a few inches away from him. She pointed her fingers to her bangs of her long silver locks, pretty long for someone her age. They were sticking upward and then bent over before her face, having the same hairstyle as her brother. "Looky looky Sephy! I did my hair like yours!" Jen smiles again as she pulls on her hair slightly. Sephiroth took one of the bangs from her grip, rolling it between his large fingers, though could not feel its softness with the black gloves on his hands.

"That's very nice Jen..." He told her in a calm voice, "It needs some work but it's nicely done. And it looks very good on you..." Sephiroth let go of her silver hair, rubbing the top of her head as her eyes sparkled from his comment. "And I got you a very special gift... I hope you enjoy it." He stood back up to normal height, walking over to a corner of the room where the light was out. His precious Masamune lay there against the corner walls, but a box of some sort kept it from falling. He laid the blade in it's sheath aside, and picked up the box by the handle on the top, bringing it to the light, showing that it was a cage or pet carrier of some sort. Jen's eyes opened wide as she looked upon the box he carried, though not knowing what was inside the dark box, where the shadows hide the inner present. Sephiroth set it before her and she sat in front of the box, peering inside with such aw that she looked like a curious child. Sephiroth slowly put his hand upon the small lock, unlocking it for her and opening the door.

"Ooooh... What is it Sephy...?" Jen asked with such curiosity, her head moving forward as she tried to see what hid in the shadows. As she leaned forward, Sephiroth placed a hand upon her shoulder, pulling her back a bit to not scare whatever was inside. Without even speaking, she already knew that he wanted her to stay back some. With a few small taps on the box's top did something make a small rustling from inside the shadows shakes the box, Jen backing away with the sudden movement. The constant rustling slowly came to a stop, and out from the darkness of it's cadge, crawls out a small baby Chocobo, a large, but young chick, being only a bit smaller than Jen. The little Chocobo shook its body a bit when brought into the light, showing off its bright red feathers, some of the under feathers seeming to be silver. It looks up to Jen with big sea blue eyes, filled with such innocence as hers, yet such fear of the being that was Jen sitting before it. Jen raised a hand a bit, bringing it toward the Chocobo, to only get a fearful reaction as it backed away. With that fearful reaction she pulled her hand back, placing it in her lap as she sat there on her knees, looking to the Chocobo with her own innocent sea green eyes, and a smile on her face. The Chocobo rustled its wings yet again; neither of them moving an inch towards each other while silence filled the room.

With much bravery it began to advance to her, Jen not moving to touch it, sitting like a statue. Its beak moved forward, taking a waif of her scent as she remained still, and then backed away yet again, watching as she lifted her hand ever so slowly. With the look of fear again she retreated her hand and placed it back on her lap, continuing to smile. The little Chocobo moved its neck forward once again, sniffing Jen again and then moving closer and closer, flapping its wings at her small knee. She remained as a statue before lifting her arm from her lap, attempting to pet the Chocobo, who did not retreat yet again. Seeing its bravery her own grew, and placed her own hand on its head, petting it slightly and softly. It's own head began to rub against her hand, eyes closing in happiness of the feeling of her soft hand against its head, Jen also smiling.

"Aww Sephy... it's so cute..." Jen told her brother without moving her sea-green eyes from the Chocobo. Sephiroth smiled as happily as his stern emotion would let him while watching. Jen took the Chocobo into her arms, holding it in a tight hug, almost like it was a doll instead of a living being.

"This is your early Christmas present Jen," Sephiroth told her with a more emotional tone, "I hope you like it." He sat down besides her, raising his gloved hand to pet the Chocobo with his large finger. Jen however, lost her happy face, now replaced by utter confusion.

"Cwistmas?" She asked with confusion and an almost slurring speech. Her head bent over to the side, the Chocobo looking up at her own face, and his head bent over like a following child, mimicking her.

"Yes... It's a day when people of the world join with their families and give gifts to show how much they love each other..." Sephiroth began to explain, "It's one of the few special days I had to spend alone before you were born... I thought this little Chocobo would be a nice gift for your first Christmas, though it's the day before. Someone to spend time with while I'm away."

Jen smiled at his thoughtful comments, the Chocobo still repeating her movements, watching her eyes trail back down to him. She hugged it happily, telling him, "I wuv it Sephy..." Her arms held the little red Chocobo in her arms even tighter, rubbing her cheek against it's own.

"The farmer I bought it from called it 'Shinta.' I believe it knows itself by that name anyway."

"Shinta? Ok!" Jen held the beast tighter as she twisted her hips back and forth, almost shaking the large chick, "Shinta, Shinta, Shinta! I wuv you!"

Sephiroth smiled again to his sister, which was a rare occasion on it's own, but now his eyes expressed softness, a love for her, a need to care and make her happy. His happy expressions and emotions were thought to have been lost long ago, but he still seemed to have them, maybe not in comprehension, but have them. But to their dismay, this rare occasion was to be cut short. Tseng gave a light cough, his presence almost forgotten, but caught the two silver haired people's attention.

"I'm sorry to break up this loving reunion" Tseng began to explain with almost regret in his tone, "but Dr. Hojo was not finished with Jenova II's tests when you arrived... I have to take her back now..." It seemed by the look on his face he did not want to break up the loving scene with Jen and her new Chocobo, also seeing that Sephiroth had lost his smile and returned to the stern emotionless face of a warrior. Jen's however, became very sad, her frown large and her eyes almost dimming with fear.

"But... But I don't wanna go back... I wanna stay with Sephy and Shinta!" Jen cried out, picking up Shinta and making a dash towards her brother where she hid her face and her Chocobo within his arms, not wanting to leave at all.

"I'm sorry..." Tseng tried to explain, his hand brushing through his black hair, "But I have no choice in the matter... He told me to bring you right after Sephiroth had finished whatever he came here for..." Tseng walked over towards the two with regret in his face, bending down to her to take her into his arms, only causing the little girl to back up into her brother's chest. He pulled back seeing her fear and anger, trying to think of an excuse. "But... I don't think he will argue if Shinta and Sephiroth joined you, now would he?"

Jen nodded slightly to Tseng, smiling through her saddened expression as if to say that she was all right with that. Sephiroth rose to his feet again, but his own emotions had seemed to turn to anger and hatred at the sound of seeing Hojo. Not once did he ever want to see that old fool who called himself the 'genius' in this crummy dup they called Shinra Corporation. He hated him more than he hated the business itself. But unfortunately, this ordeal was out of his control, unless he wanted to endanger Jen of Hojo's sadistic mind. He only nodded to Tseng as well, showing his agreement as Tseng bent down to take Jen's hand, though she refused to take it. Instead she grabbed hold of Sephiroth's hand, placing Shinta down and held onto his feathery wing.

Tseng lead the group to Hojo's lab, the scientist working with some data on the computer while he waited impatiently for Tseng to finally arrive back with Jenova II. The sound of the mechanical door slide open from the side of the room caught his attention as he rose from his seat, walking over to see Jen, Tseng, and Sephiroth enter the lab. Hojo's eyes narrowed at the sight of Sephiroth entering as well, holding Jen's little hand tightly.

"Well, well Sephiroth..." Hojo said in a low tone as he made his way over to Sephiroth and Jen, "It has been such a long time since you've actually visited lab..." The two made eye contact with each other, no longer speaking while Jen looked back and forth quickly between the two. It was if they were speaking with angry motions to one another with only the bolts flying between the pairs of pupils.

"I see..." Hojo said suddenly, taking his eyes off of Sephiroth and moving to look to Jen, her body shaking to see cold eyes, covered by the glasses on her. He stood before her with a smile on his face, the ends of his lips curled to a smirk as he bent himself down, kneeling before her with that demonic smirk. "Well Jenova II, we were interrupted from your data reading. We'll have to continue if either of us want to eat dinner tonight." His smile grew as he watched her cower behind her brother's legs, as if feeding off of her fear in pleasing delight. But his smile faded when his eyes looked to little Shinta, who was cowering behind Jen, who was cowering behind Sephiroth. Hojo's eyes were almost filled with disgust, standing back up tall again.

"Jenova II... who gave you this creature...?" Hojo asked with his eyes still on the red Chocobo, his tone very low, almost demanding.

Young Jen gulped at the sound of his voice, digging into her mind and skin like claws. She took Shinta back into her arms, holding him tightly. "Sephy did... he gave it to me for Cwismas...."

"He did, did he...?" Hojo asked with a smirk forming back on his face, walking back over towards the controls. Behind the controls a bit was a large test tube like structure, a round glass about a metallic bed or desk, having lights and wire extending from each direction, large enough to hold an adult man. "Tseng, put Jenova II in her testing tube, and get that horrible thing out of here... You may leave now Sephiroth." Hojo sat at his computer again, typing in a few things as his glasses gleamed in the light.

Tseng sighed softly, regret still in his facial expression as he turned towards Jen and picked her up, pulling her away from Shinta and Sephiroth. Her small arms reached outward, struggling to get free of his arms but her little body was to weak compared to his own, helpless to Hojo's orders. The raven-haired man placed her inside the tube on the table, hitting a few numbers to the console to close the glass door tightly. The girl cried out to Shinta and Sephiroth, her fists banging on the glass and her voice muffled by the tube. Shinta ran from Sephiroth, his eyes seeming serious and ready for battle as he dashed to the tube to aid Jen, only to be caught by Tseng as the Chocobo tried to make his way through the mans legs. He warks and squawks and struggles to get down, but like Jen, being too small and weak to break free from the man as he carried him away from the tube.

"You're going to regret this Hojo..." Sephiroth says quietly to himself, his arms crossed as he watched from where he stood. He still looked very serious, except for that of his lips, the corner of one side curling to a smirk. It was to small to be noticed from afar, but up close you could see it on his face, watching Tseng walk past him with the Chocobo under his arm, still kicking, flapping, and struggling for his release. Hojo did not react to Sephiroth's warming, finding it false in every way possible. His finger still pressed a button on the keyboard to switch screens, seeing the rising levels of many bars on the screen from measurements inside the tube. Jen had stopped her banging with her palms now on the table with her head bowed, her silver locks blocking her face from sight, though the tips of her hair was floating slightly on a breeze that couldn't possibly exist.

"What the...?" Hojo said silently to himself, baffled by the strange readings from Jenova II. His eyes moved back to the tube, watching as a slight ora surrounded her body. A black light whirling up her body like a twister of power. The tube began to crack under stress, black bolts dashing around the glass, the control panel exploding as with the tubes and wires exploding from the mainframe. Hojo's face was in complete confusion, looking back over to Sephiroth who stood there unfazed by the events. As the power grew the glass tube with Jen inside shattered, sending the glass flying everywhere, a piece of glass hitting Sephiroth's cheek, making a large cut as blood dripped down the skin, though was unmoving. Hojo, however, was hit hard with a larger piece, slicing into his left arm and leaving a deep gash, the blood beginning to turn the sleeve of his white lab coat a crimson red.

Jen walked from the broken tube, the glass spread across the ground cutting into her feet, but marched on without screams or tears of pain. Her head rose to look to Tseng, who stopped with Shinta in his arm still, looking in surprise and almost fear to the little girl. Her eyes no longer had the green Mako glow to them, the sea green replaced by dark pits of nothing that turned her eye color gray. Both her small pupils almost had vanished inside the darkness and emptiness in her eyes and expressions. She raised one small hand, pointing it strait to him as she continued to march over the broken glass.

"Burn forest greenery... dark magic burn with intense red light..." Jen began to chant softly. However, her voice was no longer the high-pitched sound of a happy child, but the low tone of an older woman overshadowing her normal voice. It seemed a bit disturbing, static like, as if something was disrupting a connection in her voice, like an air disturbance in radio waves as you listen to it, her voice breaking up. "Fire..."

She stopped for a moment as her hand continued to glow with a dark purple, then changing to a bright, reddish orange, the glow then vanishing. All sound seemed to fade from existence as Tseng's body began to glow slightly. With a confused look he dropped Shinta who ran from him as quickly as it could. The glow slowly vanished again, before a large flame ball formed by his right side, exploding with energy, burning his arm and side of his leg while his body was thrown across the floor, hitting a metal plated wall. Blood smearing against the metallic surface from the head impact as his body slumped, more crimson liquid dripping down an open crack in his lips while his eyes were shut in an unconscious state.

Hojo held his bleeding arm as he looked to Jen in fear, his whole shaking from the small portion of her power he had just learned. He quickly picked up a phone, screaming into the mouthpiece for medical attention as he tried to slow the bleeding. But he stopped screaming as he saw Sephiroth slowly walk over to Jen, showing no fear as he bent before her, the girl looking up with expressionless gray eyes. He placed his hand upon her head, closing his own eyes in almost concentration as her head snapped back to reality, blinking widely with a few tears dripping from her eyes, glowing with the same sea green color.

"It's alright Jen... you don't have to hurt anyone anymore..." Sephiroth told her in a calm and kind tone, "Shinta is alright..." Jen took no time to jump into her brother's arms, her eyes swelling with even more tears as she cried onto his bare chest. He held right tightly in his arms, rubbing his large hand against her back to try and calm her tears, giving out soft 'shhh's' to help her relax.

"Sephy... I... I hurt Tseng... didn't I...?" Jen stopped her crying for a few moments, trying to hold back the tears of what she just did, as well as the horrid burning pain from her bleeding feet. Sephiroth picked her up slowly, still holding her in his arms and walked from the room with her, the red Chocobo following suit. Hojo screamed to them to stop, but the silver haired warrior only ignored him of course, and continued walking.

The two of them arrived downstairs in Jen's room again, her brother had bandaged the girl's small feet, and her tears had finally come to a stop. Jen sat on her white bed with him, holding onto a small rag doll, the only possession Hojo really allowed her to keep. The doll was torn in many places, cotton falling from the foot, a beaded eye missing, and stains of colors in the fabric for never being washed. Sephiroth kept a hand on his little sisters head as she rested her head against his leg, still sniffling in sadness a few times with her body still shivering in fear under his hand. Shinta sat by the side of her bed, looking up to the sad expression on Jen's face, having almost the same dark tone to his own facial features.

"Jen... tell me...if you want to of course," Sephiroth spoke with a concerned, but soft voice, still petting her small head, "How did you summon that power to create a flame attack...? Especially one that was set off the way it had did... That is a very difficult magic to summon for that use...."

"Mommy... told me... how to do it..." Jen said with a sniffle, burring her face in his black pants. Sephiroth's eyes, however, opened in surprise. Mommy? How could he hear the voice of her mother? He was told by many of the doctors that her mother had died during her birth, as did he. The only reason they were declared siblings was for they had almost identical facial features, and supposedly the same father. "She told me... to look inside for my hate of Hojo... for the hate of Tseng as he took Shinta away from me..." Her voice was still cracking with dry tears, whipping her face every so often against his pants, "She told me... what to say... to cast the power she would give me... and all I would have to do is get angry... and my want for Shinta... and she would help... I don't like the doctor... I don't like Tseng... I hate it here.... I want to stay with you Sephy..."

Sephiroth shook his head to her comment, looking away from her pleading eyes. There was no way he could bring her with him without endangering her life. She was powerful, especially in her use of magic, but she often lost control. She was a fragile little girl, and he had no way to go against SOLDIER, or escape. He was afraid of hurting the only living thing that actually cared for him, the only thing he cared for away from SOLDIER, his little sister. Ever since Doctor Gustav had died, he had felt almost always alone. His mother was dead, he had no known father, and most of his childhood was taken when Hojo took over the science department and he was left alone with noting to do but be alone. There were no holidays, there were no birthdays, and there were nothing but experimental days of Hell. He spent time with Jen so that she would not become as sad and as lonely as he was so long ago during his own childhood.

"I cannot take you with me Jen...." Sephiroth said regretfully, "The SOLDIER would hunt you down and hurt anyway in their way to get you back... It's too risky on the battlefield to keep you with me... Not only would that put me in danger... But that would put you in much more danger..." Sephiroth lifted Jen from lying against his lap and placed her flat on the bed, pulling up the covers to her neck. Little Shinta hopped up onto the bed, dashing across the fabric and inside, crawling up under the covers. He had trouble at first, his legs swinging widely as he tried to push himself under, but he finally got under the covers and crawled beside Jen, curling up into a little ball next to her. She smiled slightly while placing the doll between the two of them, reaching out and taking both the Chocobo and the doll in one arm while lying on her side. But her eyes did not close, only staring up at Sephiroth.

"Sephy...? Can you stay with me tonight...?" Jen's large eyes pleaded for him to do so, the large frown on her face almost irresistible. But he would not, smiling slightly by her pleading actions and leaned forward, kissing her forehead.

"Yes... I will stay with you tonight... I'll sleep beside your bed.... I'm used to sleep without one," Sephiroth told her with a soft voice, getting up from his seat and walking over to the door, clicking a few buttons on the control panel beside her door as the lights turned off. He walked through the darkness, his eyes giving off almost a faint green glow as he made his way over to a wall beside the bed, smiling as he heard the deep breathing of her restful sleep. "Goodnight dear sister...." He looked out the window that the bed sat beside, watching the rain still continue to pour against the glass while the lights of the dim, polluted city flickered across the skyline. His eyes slowly became heavy as the rain continued to pitter-patter against the window till sleep took hold of him as well.


	2. Christmas Day

'What could they be doing in there...?'

Sephiroth, being curious of current events that had been happening lately, snuck down the hall of the Shinra Corporation. He dashed past any security camera or Shinra employee with perfect ease. His grace took him from all detection and made it into an elevator. Not a single person knowing of Sephiroth's presence, nor seeing any sign of the silver haired warrior.

'Something... just does not feel right...' the young general thought to himself, 'Why does this feel like... an illusion?' His finger hits the button to the 68th floor, the doors closing and slowly he started to rise upward. Sephiroth's sea-green eyes gazed over the city lights, watching as the buildings below him became smaller and smaller as he got higher and higher. His arms crossed his belted chest, pondering for a few more moments in deep thought.

'This doesn't feel real... where am I going anyway? The 68th floor? Isn't that the chemical labs? .... But I believe those were restricted... better figure out what is going on...'

The bells rang, the screen showing 68th floor, and the doors began to open. He stayed out of sight to the side, making sure that no one was waiting for an elevator or anywhere around to see him. When it was all clear, he made his move, quickly dashing down the hall, still unseen to the eyes of anything mechanical or living. It took him a few minutes to get to the lab with his tremendous speed, but had seen no one at all when he arrived at the open lab doors. There was 'no one' on this floor at all. Even as he came to a halt, there was not even a sound of anyone on this large floor, other than the beeping of computers, bubbling water, and silent speech of whoever was in the lab. The silver haired warrior did not rush into the lab with curiosity, only looking about the corner, out of sight of anyone who could be inside.

But what he saw was nothing that he expected. Far across the room in a huge glass test tube connected to the ceiling and floor by many wires, bolts, and computers, was a being of some sort... no, a woman. Her skin a dark pale blue, with many tubes connected to her bare skin. She had red, paper like wings protruding from her back, as well as a device on her head that was connected to even more tubing and wires. The device, covering what looked to be silver hair, draped forward as very long bangs, had "Jenova" inscribed on the plaque. The whole science department was inside as well, whispering in faded speech about the woman in the glass tube.

As he looked to Jenova, his Mako green eyes opened wide almost, seeming to remember this creature in some way. His mind dug far into his subconscious memories, but all seemed to vanish before ever being found, and yet his memoriestold him he knew who or what she was. The scientists did not seem to notice her head raising slightly, one glowing red eye seen as it was staring right at him. The gaze forced Sephiroth to take a step back, his eyes like that of a deer in headlights. Was it surprise that caused that movement? Or maybe fear that filled his body. Was he scared of what was in the tube, watching her return to her relaxed position with head bowed.

_Protect her..._

'What...?'

_Protect... your sister.._

'Wait... I don't understand... can you read my mind...?'

The normal sounds about him began to return. The beeping of computers, and the typing of men upon the keyboards returned, though the voice inside his head was gone. A woman? The creature in the tube? And what did it mean by 'protect his sister'? Did she mean Jen? She was his only known relative, yet something was strange. Where was Jen? He saw Hojo, but no Jen.

His thoughts were caught in a twister of confusion. None of the men seemed to realize his presence even as he walked right into the middle of the room. The silver haired man was almost completely unnoticed, unable to think strait. Sephiroth's mind was so caught he did not notice the swirling energy of black demonic power spiraling down the tube that held the strange Jenova woman, who was still staring at him. The scientists were suddenly caught in surprise as the computers began to explode, unable to take the power surging from Jenova's body, the lab starting to go up in flames.

But the flames suddenly stopped, as the swirling energy seemed to freeze, Sephiroth looking in much more surprise than all the scientists in the room. His eyes watched everything freeze in time but every living object. The fires suddenly became frozen as if by magic, and the black energy had stopped flowing, though glowing brightly and vanishing like the pulse of a heart. The glass began to shatter, energy collecting before Jenova, as it seemed to stretch from her body with a bright glowing light. It was not a black ora of evil like the energy that surrounded her, but a white light, with some sort of being inside. The ball began to lower onto the once glossy tiled white floor. As it arrived to the ground the white light faded from existence, revealing the small young girl inside, her body bare of clothing as sat on her knees, bent over as if dead. She seemed to be about 5 years of age, with very long silver locks for someone that looked her age. Her head was bowed to Sephiroth, unable to see her face as he tried to get a clear view, as if recognizing who it was. Was it Jen? It had to be? But something was wrong. Horribly wrong, as her head began to rise, her eyes staring right back to his own, eyes filled with nothing but grey pits...

Sephiroth's body shot up from his sleep as he let out a slight surprised scream. His breath was heavy, a cold sweat running down his body as he placed his head into his hand, trying to think back to the nightmare. Jen... Was that really Jen? His eyes trailed over to her in concern with the vision of what he had saw still drawn into his mind. She was sleeping soundly though, with Shinta in her arms, just the way he had left her but the sheets tossed about by the Chocobo's kicking.

'What was that...?' Sephiroth asked himself within his mind, searching within and yet found no answers. Never before had he had nightmares of that sort, being a dreamless sleeper at most. Not once did he remember feeling so frightened, so scared... the feeling just eroding off of his nightmare. Was it real or just a memory? An illusion of Jen's real parent if Jenova would be called a parent at all? But he wondered deeply what Jenova was, and what caused Jen to be created. Was that the reason Jen had so much power? Her 'mother'? But those eyes... he did not ever recall seeing her eyes so blank since today. She always had those happy sea-green eyes and yet today they were barren of life or color. What did it mean though? Question upon question pilled within his minds, in search of answers that seemed to run from him. But as he pondered, he could only come up to one conclusion

'Jen must get out of here...' Sephiroth rose from his seat and went to Jen's bed, seeing the clock on the wall, still being at the break of dawn, the perfect time. With a gentle touch his hand stroked her head, shaking her almost slightly to try and wake her, only to wake Shinta first, with Jen following suit. Her tired eyes looked up to him, yawning loudly as Shinta did as well.

"Sephy...? Why are we... awake so early...?" Jen asked quietly, rubbing her tired eyes before letting out another yawn. Shinta shook his feathers violently, lapping his tongue against the edges of his beak.

"We are going away..." Sephiroth said with a calm, yet quickened voice, helping Jen from her bed, "I'm going to help you escape out of here and find you a nice home to stay in... It's too dangerous for you to stay with me... but I will gladly make sure you do not have to suffer like I once did..." The solider moved to the other side of the room in silence, hitting a button on a panel upon the once perfectly flat wall to open a door, revealing a few long jackets, some clothes, and other little dresses in the hidden closet. He pulled a long black cape from a hanger, draping it over his muscular shoulders and placing the hood over his head.

Jen yawned as she tried to keep standing, Shinta jumping out of the bed to only have his head dragging on the floor as he followed Jen over to Sephiroth. The general picked her up into his arms, his face hidden under the large hood of his cape, and placed some of the blankets about her body to keep her hidden as well.

"We better hurry... the sooner we get out of here the easier it will be for us to leave without being caught..." Jen nodded to her brother's statement, her eyes still tired with sleep, unknowing of what he had planned. Yet her little body shook, as if scared to leave this place, with horrid stories from Hojo about the outside world. Shinta rubbed against Sephiroth's leg, almost being worried himself, not wanting to be left behind. The warrior looked down into the little chicken's blue eyes, and gave him a reassuring smile. "We shall not leave you here... let us be off..."

Sephiroth made his march over to the window in the room, holding Jen tightly in his large arms as her little fingers wrapped about the white sheet. His Mako eyes narrowed as they began to give off a soft glow, focusing on the bulletproof glass while Shinta hid behind his leg. With one swift kick, Sephiroth shattered the glass to the window, with it falling down the side of the tall building.

"Hold on..." Without giving any other warning he kicked off the edge of the window with one foot. Their bodies plus the little Red Chocobo, who took flight, plummeted down story after story down the large building. His body fell almost horizontally as he placed his legs against the side of the building, running down the side as if he was naturally walking on land. His speed was like lighting, plummeting downward towards the streets until kicking off, and landing on the ground outside the corporation with a silent thud. His sea-green eyes looked behind him, keeping a look out for any movement as the two were still hidden beneath their covers. No one had followed, or has not realized the two had escaped, while the silver haired family with their Chocobo Shinta vanished within the busy streets while making way for their escape.

To Sephiroth's dismay, Hojo went looking for Jen only a few minutes after they had landed outside the building. Men from the SOLDIER units were already starting to fill the streets in search of the test subject and the general. They swarmed the streets, clearing anyone in the city and shuffling them back into buildings with cocked guns and fearless faces, covered by helmets with red shielding across the eyes.

Sephiroth looked over his shoulder to see the men following after on foot, though could not find the silver haired general. In worry, he began to pick up speed, running even faster as he dashed through the crowds of people. Yet when he arrived at the train station, each train had been stopped, all trips canceled and SOLDIER men were pulling people from the cars. All transportation out of the city to the land below the giant plate had been stopped, and anyone who tried to make their way out were being checked.

In even more worry and paranoia the silver haired general turned about and made a dash down an empty ally from the crowd, trying to avoid any oncoming warriors. Fear was not the emotion that kept him running, or escaping from battle, for he could easily take every man in this city if he desired. It was the little shaking bundle in his arms, Jen's body quivering in fear, as her grip upon his cloak was iron tight. She was too young and very fragile, and could easily be taken, or even hurt in battle if he left her side. Or... she would loose control of herself and take out the whole sector in the city within moments.

Sephiroth had been wandering aimlessly now in a dash, fatigue not fazing him at all. He was stopped though at the shot of a rifle gun, the bullet lodging right before his stopped boot as the little Jen let out a scream of surprise, Shinta's squawking there after.

"Well, well Sephiroth!" A void called out from the distance, "Going somewhere? Hm?" There was cockiness intertwined within the stranger's voice. However, it only gave his position to Sephiroth as his sea green eyes looked up to the building tops, knowing the sound of the voice.

Standing on the top of the stairs of a fire escape stood a man with long, spiky red hair. He wore black goggles on his forehead and a blue Turk suit with the jacket open to reveal the white tank top underneath. Within his grip was the smoking rifle gun over his shoulder, holding on to the side rails of the metal fire escape. Sephiroth said nothing as he looked directly to the man above him, Jen of course, curious enough to look up from under her sheet covering, watching as the man jump from where he stood, landing only about 2 yards from the young general and his sister.

"The whole company knows it's you Sephiroth! You're the only fool who would try to escape with Jenova II." He yells to Sephiroth, cocking the rifle and aiming the barrel at Sephiroth with a grin. "But unlike her, they don't care if you die." With that he pulled the trigger, the gat hitting the bullet as it flew from the barrel towards the silver haired man. But as it was ready to make contact, Sephiroth vanished into thin air.

"Reno you fool!" a man called out to the red headed gunman, "Don't tell me you lost them!?!" Reno looked behind him, still surprised by Sephiroth's disappearance to say anything, his mouth agape. More people began to fill the ally, one man having slicked back blond locks, wearing a long white jacket with tight white pants and shirt. Tseng followed after him, along with a bald black man in the same uniform.

"I didn't loose him!" Reno tried to explain with confusion still lingering on his voice, "He just vanished!!"

"Don't make up excuses you stupid fool!!" The blond man screamed at him, "My dad will have our heads if we don't find them!!"

"Well Rufus! If you'd like some more help... Sephiroth is wearing a long black cape and hood, Jenova II is wrapped in white sheets, and the baby red Chocobo is following after like a baby duck. Happy?" Reno's voice changed to cocky yet again, his facial expression casual while he placed the rifle back over his shoulder

"Fine...." the blond Rufus said with an aggravated sigh, "That will get you off the hook." He walked over to Tseng, the black haired man standing tall, looking down to the younger Rufus. "Inform the men that Sephiroth is wearing a black cloak, and still has Jenova II, and a silly little Red Chocobo with them. Shouldn't be too freaking hard to find..."

Tseng placed his hand over the headphone worn on his right ear, speaking into the thin wire microphone connected to it The streets began to fill more and more with men after the announcement, men running around like scurrying mice, lost in a maze while searching for their missing cheese. However, these mice have to kill their prey before they can take the prize.

Sephiroth looked behind him from the shadows of the dark empty alleyway. If he did not hurry, SOLDIER would surround him. Because of that, Jen's safety, as well as his own could be at stake. With as much speed as his long legs could carry him he dashed down the alleyway, with his hood still somehow over his head, unable to see the worried expression of his sister as her own Mako colored eyes looked up to her.

"Sephy... they're coming..." Jen muttered softly as Sephiroth finally took notice of his sister's worried expression. "They'll be here soon... and they'll kill you to get to me..."

"Jen... how do you know of this...?" Sephiroth asked silently through his running. He knew Hojo would have him killed to get his newest creation, his newest experiment of perfection. But she knew how close they were?

"Mommy told me..." little Jen said with a quiet voice, curling up against him even more. Sephiroth's eyes looked away as they continued their dash. Her mother? Her mother Jenova? Why would she be giving these warnings? Was it Jenova that caused Jen to attack the way she did? Is that why he had such a strange dream...? Because he feared Jen would be taken over by Jenova? Or was it a message of some sort... a moment in time he missed.

As he was lost in thought, he did not take notice that the SOLDIER had finally found him and were now following after. Screams filled the alleyway he ran down, 'fire at will,' or 'take him down', each mencicing scream held his death against their lips. Without even time to defend themselves a shower of bullets shot upon Sephiroth, Jenova, and Shinta, each one to either slow or kill the young general. Of course, Sephiroth continued to run, and easily avoided the poor men's aim. Shinta stayed right beside Sephiroth, having a harder time dodging while trying to follow after Sephiroth as the flying metal tore through his cape.

Sephiroth finally arrived at the outer edge of the city, looking upon the high, thick stone wall. SOLDIER men finally had him surrounded, each with a cocked gun pointed to the silver haired general, who's cape had been torn to bits already, as well as part of his own jacket. But he did not turn about, only staring at the top of the towering wall, not flinching, just acting as if they did not exist at all. The blond Rufus finally arrived on the scene, pushing away the crowds of Gun-ho men. Anger filled his face while facing Sephiroth's back.

"It's all over Sephiroth..." the young blond said with a growing grin upon his face, "You can't run anymore, and if you make a single move we'll fill you full of lead. Just hand over the girl and be on your way back to base. We're willing to forgive your foolish actions..." Rufus reached out to take Jen from him, but never moved an inch. His eyes were still staring to the wall, glowing with the Mako power that flowed within his veins.

"Hey are you listening to me!?!?" Rufus screamed out again, his grin vanishing, "Give me the stupid little experiment so I can get home already!!!" Still Sephiroth was still, his eyes closed for a moment, while Jen tugged on the edge of his hood, trying to get his attention, feeling worried he would do something like sacrifice his life for her freedom.

But that was not his plan. Sephiroth's eyes finally opened again, both orbs glowing with tremendous power. Through his clothing ripped out a large angelic wing, tearing off his cape that once hid him, as well as tearing through the leather fabric of his jacket, revealing that the wing was actually attached to his body. With a few flaps the wing took him airborne, lifting both him and Jen into the air as Shinta followed after. The men fired to Sephiroth, but of course, not one made a single hit as his silver locks disappeared over the outside wall.

The scream of Rufus echoed into the air, as he demanded that the men follow, but no one could fly. Sephiroth and Jen floated down without fear of being hurt any further, Jen's body shaking in fear of the large drop, Shinta trying to follow after in their slow decent. It took little time for the two to land, Sephiroth making a soundless touch down on the green fields on the outside of Midgar, and far from the slums. The angelic wing began to fade from his back, though they were safe, Sephiroth did not stop moving and began to walk once again. Jen looked up to her older brother yet again and pulled down her blanket hood, revealing her frightened face as she tried to relax.

"Sephy...? Where are we going now...?" Jen asked him, her voice frail and small, and yet fearful still.

"I'm taking you to a place where both you and Shinta can live in peace," he explained, "I'm bringing you to the ranch where I bought young Shinta. The owner trusts me, and I doubt that he wouldn't accept you until you are old enough to find a place of your own." Though as he talked he never looked down to Jen, his breath heavy as he was finally feeling slight fatigue, his eyes only on the horizon before them, seeing the silo that held the Green Greens for the Chocobo's of the farm.

"Jen, you must do one thing for me though. You are never to speak of where you came from, or why I have to have you stay here. Also, you can never call yourself Jen or Jenova again. Hojo will be looking for a young silver haired girl with sea green eyes who goes by the name of Jen." Sephiroth drew out a small silver bracelet from his long jacket while stopping before the edge of the farm. Jen held out her arm to him with a confused brow as he placed the bracelet on her small wrist. The small pink-purple stone within the bracelets center gave off a strange ora, before her silver hair changed to a light chocolate brown, and her eyes becoming a deep sea blue. Jen looked to her hair for a moment, pulling on the long brown bangs in curiosity.

"That bracelet holds a special Cover Materia. You can never take it off for any reason though Jen... speaking of which...we should give you a new name. Lets call you Alma. Yes... Alma."

"Ok... brother..."

"Jen... can you do this for me? Can you try and live a different life until you are safe enough to come out in the open as yourself again?"

Little Jen gave her brother a nod with tears still welling up in her eyes. She did not want to leave him, but she knew that if Hojo found her she'd be in really, really big trouble. Her head bowed slightly, giving off a small sniffle of sadness. Sephiroth placed his sister upon her feet as he tried to stand tall and brave before him, yet her hiding was pointless. He bent down before her on one knee, slipping a finger under her chin and lifted it so that their eyes would meet.

"I don't want you to get hurt Jen...." He explained to her, "The people here are normal... but very nice. They can help you raise Shinta, and raise you at the same time. I'll come from time to time and visit you if I can. And when you are strong, and think you can survive on your own, you can come look for me, all right... 'Alma'?" Jen nodded her head again, a faint smile forming on her small lips.

"Till I am strong as you Sephy...?" Jen asked him, her voice no longer seeming scared or sad. Sephiroth nodded to her now, watching as her smile grew wider and ran into her brother's arms, wrapping her small frail arms about his waist as much as she could, holding him tightly. His own wrapped about her as well, keeping her close against him. "I will get stronger Sephy... I promise..."

Sephiroth had left Jen, or Alma there at the Chocobo farm where he had bought Shinta for her. The owner was glad to take her and the small Chocobo in, but questioned Sephiroth, who of course gave him no answer. Jen was already in enough trouble, and with his mother dead and Hojo being the sadistic maniac he was, there was nowhere else he could leave her. But before Sephiroth left, the owner asked one last question. How they were brother and sister when they looked nothing alike. Still the silver haired man gave no answer, giving his sister one last hug before disappearing over the horizon.

Many years later, Alma learned many skills in magic. When she had reached the physical age of fifteen, she took an apprenticeship under an old fashioned Summoner, who taught her many ways to create different types of magic before his passing. Shinta grew to be a beautiful red Chocobo, becoming the fastest and strongest the farm had ever seen. More years would pass, and Alma began to travel the globe. She was recruited into the Esthar Army, where she would fight along side a man named Laguna, with his companions Kiros and Ward. But after all was done, she left his side, returning every so often during her journeys.

Sephiroth never returned to the farm, even after she inherited it as her own at the farm owners passing. It had seemed the young general had vanished off the face of the planet. Not once did he visit, and the image of his silver hair disappearing over the mixture of the green grass and blue sky on the horizon still lay within her mind. Maybe one day, she would find her long lost brother, and one last time would be able to hear her real name, and look into the strong eyes Mako eyes of her brother that she had looked up to for so long.

**The End**


End file.
